when the hero is missing
by crownedcrusader
Summary: his princess will rise. (Link is missing. The world won't function without a Hero. What else is Zelda supposed to do?) [Also on Ao3]


"Your Majesty," Impa started, kneeling and lowering her head, a fist over her heart. Zelda's heart sunk immediately. Impa only took on such a pose when she had bad news.

"No, no, just Zelda. Get up-tell me what you have to say. We're running out of time, and we have precious little time to lose," Zelda said. No matter what it was Impa was going to say, Link was still out fighting the good fight, and Ganondorf was gaining more power every day. Lanayru Desert had already fallen-Faron Woods would be next if they didn't hurry. It was a lot to worry about, but Zelda was doing her best to use what soldiers she had strategically, so as to defend as much of her kingdom as she possibly could. It was then that she realized it had been quiet for a while, and that she hadn't gotten an answer. Her servant was hesitating-never a good sign. "Tell me, Impa."

"I am afraid," Impa started, choosing her words carefully, "That we are out of time, Your Majesty."

Zelda's heart sunk deeper. "Out of time? How? Link is out fighting, buying us more time-"

"We've lost Link. He is nowhere to be found." Impa did not raise her head, but Zelda could see the guilt on her face. "He could be dead for all we know. Signs indicate that he is alive, for there was no sign of a struggle near his camp site. But... My men waited for him for three days. He did not return to his camp site-not even for the Master Sword." With that, she presented Zelda with the sword, as well as the Hylian shield he had last been seen with.

The sword was wrapped in linens-likely to protect it from the weather on the way to the castle-and Zelda took it carefully. It was not to be handled by those deemed unworthy, and while it wouldn't hurt her, she still doubted that she could use it. Still, an overwhelming curiosity took her on. She unwrapped it and hesitantly curled her fingers around the handle.

"My Lady!" Impa cried, eyes wide. "Put it down. It could be-"

But Zelda never got to find out what it could be, because there was a flash of light, and nothing of any consequence afterwards. Instead, Zelda felt an uncanny sense of belonging, holding the sword in her hand.

"My Lady?"

Zelda raised her head a little higher, tilting her chin up at an angle and contemplating the sword from above. "This sword... You say that it only accepts its masters to carry it?"

Impa watched her carefully. Then, in a hesitant voice, "Yes, my lady."

Zelda nodded in approval, seemingly unsurprised by such an answer. "I will weild it, then. It has accepted me to carry it-thus, I may be it's master. If Link is captured, or killed, or missing, then I will fill in his place until his return. If he does not return, then I will carry on his mission without him indefinitely."

There was a pause in the room, and Impa seemed not to know what to say. She was further baffled when Zelda put down her sword, then grabbed a pair of scissors. Impa may have gotten an inkling of what was to come when Zelda tied her hair back into a tight pony-tail, but she let out an involuntary gasp all the same when Zelda took the scissors, and with a completely unconcerned snip, cut her hair short.

"Better," Zelda said, nodding her head before cutting it shorter yet in the back. She slowly trimmed it all over, using a rough memory of what Link's hair looked like to guide her own styling process. When she was finished, her bed was a mess of hair, but she looked vaguely masculine, and more importantly, somewhat like the Hero.

Impa finally broke her silence, moving to kneel by the foot of the bed. "Permission to speak, my lady?"

"Granted, as always," Zelda said, standing and examining herself closer in the mirror across her bed. She turned this way and that, seeming to find a few faults here and there-likely with her distinctly feminine features hindering her from looking much like Link past the hair-but there was little she could do about that.

Impa stood and put a hand on Zelda's shoulder. "Are you out of your mind, Your Majesty?"

Zelda took Impa's hand off of her shoulder, then offered a wry smile. "No more so than Link is. He was on the same quest that I shall now be taking up the mantle of. Of course, I am inclined to think that he was a bit mad. On those grounds, yes, I suppose he and I are both a bit mad." She paused, then, "But we both want to see the fall of Ganondorf. So I am willing to make this sacrifice for my people. And this way, when Ganondorf invariably storms the castle, I will be far away."

That seemed to make Impa think. However, she ended up at much the same conclusion that she started with. "And you're sure the goddesses won't be angry with you? It is the mantle of the bearer of the Triforce of Courage to complete quests such as these. Your role was to be the strategist behind the scenes."

"Link has failed in his quest, if hopefully momentarily. I will take it up for him, until further notice. This involves strategy, and working behind the scenes. Thus, I am doing no wrong." She ran a hand through her now short hair, a ring getting caught in it. With a small frown, she untangled her hair and took off her ring, setting it unconcernedly on the bed. "Besides. There have been Heroes in legends of ages past who have not started off with mark of the Triforce of Courage. Only a few have had it from the start. Most others had to work for it. The one here does not currently possess it, just as I don't currently possess the Triforce of Wisdom."

Impa sighed and shook her head. "There will be no deterring you, then?"

"None, I'm afraid," Zelda replied. With little hesitation, she took off her gown and headed to her closet. Because she had learned horseback riding a few years ago, there were bound to still be some brown boots and a long-sleeved undershirt and khaki slacks in the back. A green tunic and hat would be harder to find with the proper shape and fit, but she was sure she could procure one. After all-she had to look the part.

To her surprise, though, when she had finished putting on the slacks and boots, she'd found a green tunic of nearly the perfect fit sitting on the bed.

She looked up at Impa, a question just on her lips.

"For the journey," Impa answered evasively. "I gave Link one of these. There are several of them in store rooms. We had to make several, because we weren't sure what size the Hero would be-only that when he was found, he had to match the legends, because it was pleasing to the gods. This one is just a bit smaller than the one we gave to him with his gear."

Zelda blinked, but didn't question it, instead just sliding on the tunic over the long sleeved undershirt. It wasn't perfect, but it would do-especially with all the other gear she had to disguise it all. Gloves, arm guards, and a few weapons, had all been found with Link's sword and shield. Zelda couldn't imagine what he'd been doing to have gotten separated from so much of these, but she could only imagine that he'd been roused in the middle of the night, after he'd taken much of it off to sleep.

Not for the first time, she felt a pang of worry for him. But worrying alone would get her nowhere. So she finished putting on the gear, then looked at herself in the mirror. All that was missing was the hat.

With a deep breath, she pulled the tiara off of her head, then set it on the vanity desk. "With this, and with Impa as my witness, I temporarily renounce my title as Princess Zelda. May the three goddesses have patience with me."

And with that, she pulled on the cap, bid Impa goodbye, and grabbed the Master Sword.

After all, Ganondorf was on the move. There was no time to lose.


End file.
